Galilee Days 1 and 2

Galilee By The Sea VBS started last night. The "boot" has slowed me down in preparing the crafts etc so I took the day off work again fully intending to be at the church by 11 am. Made the "mistake" of calling my sister Beth to find out if she wanted to go also. Well, we left the house around 10 am for a quick stop at the dollar store and everything escalated from there. We went to the Goodwill store and found a number of decorative items that fit our scheme. I don't think we paid more than a dollar for anything. Then to Save-A-Lot for one of the big tubs they have to hold the water bottles for the kids (we started at Goodwill thinking there might be a tub at low cost and found all the other wonderful things instead). Then to the dollar store for more fish windsocks and salsa bowls (for grinding herbs and spices in). Then to WalMart where we got a better piece of cloth for the "sail" on our "boat) and then met Jen and her two youngest and had lunch at Subway. We got to church around 1:30. Jen had to leave with her youngest to go to the eye doctor to check on his eye abrasion at 2 pm.

Things moved slowly with the "boot" on my foot but we brought down a wheelchair from the upstairs storage room and I was able to use it to move around my crafting area when I could sit down. We still had yarmulkes to make and headscarves to cut out and craft materials to arrange. But when 6 pm came and the kids started coming in we were ready - more or less - thanks in part (a large part) to Jen's husband who threatened to deny it if I ever told anyone he was the one who sewed the yarmulkes.

We had a nice group for us - we are not a large church anymore and have very few children but we draw in local kids we see every VBS. Arrangements had been made for Rabbi Lowy to come and talk to the kids and adults. He was very interesting and held the kids' attention with small stories explaining how the Torah is written and what the Jewish holidays are and why they are celebrated. The kids even got the chance to try to blow the shofar and everyone got to spin the dreidels. I think the adults learned as much as the kids.

We did not even get to the craft the first night but I set it up so when the kids arrived on Day 2 they could come right in and start the craft without waiting around to see what they were supposed to do next. So we had kids and spices and potpourri and other scented items and little muslin bags as they were making their own scented sachets. Most of them put some of everything in their bags and they all smelled wonderful. We tied the bags closed and then attached hanging cords so they could wear the bags. We explained that people did not always have the deoderants we are familiar with today and often carried perfumed bags with them to mask the odors they encountered. The kids didn't really care. They just had fun with all the ingredients. I have a bowl of cinnamon mixed with I don't know what that I'll save for next year's VBS or maybe use to make applesauce ornaments to sell at the next fundraiser.

After lesson and singing they came back to me again for the planned craft of the night - seashell necklaces. They got to hunt for their shells in a large tub filled with sand and then strung their shells along with beads to make. Ages ranged from about 2 to 11 and beads were everywhere but they made some wonderful necklaces. They had so much fun a few of them almost didn't care about snack time. I plan on letting them come in and make another necklace tomorrow night before VBS, too.

I managed to stay in the wheelchair much of the time once VBS started both nights so my foot has been wonderfully unintrusive - until I get up and walk again. But it is still improving day by day and I hope to be free of the "boot" soon.

Tomorrow night is craft stick treasure boxes and Thursday night is stone carving. We made our own stones from plaster of Paris and vermiculite and I will try one out tomorrow to make sure it works as planned. If not, we have picture frames to decorate with shells and foam stickers.

It is a good tired I feel.

Thank you, Lord, for these opportunities.